Heel for boots and shoes.



`-J. A. FOSTER( y HEEL FOB BOOTS AND SHOES.

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JAMES A. rosTEa, or Lo HEEL F03 Boo'rs AND SHOES.

WELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

resented oct. h1,3, 1908.

Application filed April 25, 1908. Serial No. 429,240.

To all whom fit may concern.: i

Be it known that I, JAMES A. FOSTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lowell, iii the county of Middlesex and .State of l\Iassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful lImprovements iu `Heels for Boots and Shoes, of which thel following is a specilication, reference being` had to the accompanying d 'awings V Y \ly invention relates to improvements in heels for boots and shoes and particularly lo improvements in mechanically contrived spring-controlled cushion heels distinguished fi'oiii cushion heels in which lifts of yielding material, such as rubber, are used; and an object of my invention is to provide a cushion heel of the class described which will prove simple in construction, compara. tively cheap in manufacture and most efficient in use, affording ease and comfortto the wearer without shorteningl the life of the slice.

In the drawings illustrating the principle of my invention and the best mode now known to me of applying that principle, Figure l is an elevation of a shoe embodying` my improvement, the heel part beine shown in section; Fig. 2 is a section showing my new cushion heel in section on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 3 is a detail showing the springs and their holders in plan.

The heel a -of the shoe is formed with a central chamber b in which is fitted a cylindrical shell or housing c which lines the chamber and forms practically the cylindrical wall thereof. The bottom of the chamber is closed by a disk l of larger diameter than the shell c. VThe disk l is held in place by the nails c the upper ends of which extend through the inner-sole f, whereby stress applied to the disk (Z is transmitted to the inner-sole. Centrally disposed in the chamber b is a tubular holder g in which is mounted a coil-spring L, while between the holder g and the shell c is mounted a second coil-spring z' of larger wire-than that of which the coil-spring iy is made. 4Above the heel part of the inner-sole lies a springplate j the top of which is preferably covered with a cushion of felt or like material la. In Fig. 1 the spring-plate j is shown fastened at its forward end to the inner-sole and shank of the shoe near the breast of the heel; but the exactrplace'of fastening the plate j is not of controlling importance and in Fig. 2 the spring-plate y" is shown fastened some distance for 'ard of the breast of the heel.

My design is so to improve heels of this character heretofore made as to produce '.i practical wearable heel of this class. In order that the life of the shoe may not be shortened by the tearing-olf of the heel by the reaction of thesprings, thedisk l is fastened to the inner-sole.- The spring-pressure upon the bottom of the plate j is `distributed so as to make the shoe one comfortable for the wearer. The upper edges of the shell c and the holder g lie justbelow the top of the inner-sole, whereby the bottoin of the springplate'in its 'lowerinost position is made to rest upon a flat even surface,--`that'l of the heel part of the inner-sole. The vshell c forming tlie'lining of the spring chamber b is free from connection with the spring-plate j, whereby the construction is simp iied and cheapened and' the life of the shoe is lengthened.

I claim:

l. The combination with a heel having an inner sole formed with a chamber, of a plate mounted free to vibrate above said inner sole; a second plate which is mounted at the 'bottoni' of said chamber and wwliich lies wholly below and is fastened to said innery sole; and a yielding device mounted in said chamber, the lower end of said device bearing against the last named plate and the up per end .of said device .bearing againstthe first named plate.

2. The combination with a heel having an' inner sole and formed with a chamber, of a plate mounted free to vibrate Iabove said inner sole; a second plate which forms the bottom of said chamber and which lies wholly below and is fastened to said inner sole; and a coil-spring one end of which bears against the first named plate and the other end of which bears against said second plate.

3. The combination with a heel formed -witli a chamber and having an inner solo, of

a plate mounted' free to vibrate: above said inner sole; a shell which forms a wall of said chamber and is free from connection with said plate; a second plate which forms the bottom of said chamber and is fastened to said inner sole', and a yielding device one end vof which bears against the first. named plate and the other end of .which hears against the last named plate.

4. The combination with .Y inner sole and formed with a chamber, of a inner sole and formed a heel having an plate.

5; The combination with a heel having an with a chamber, of a plate mounted free to vibrate above said inner sole; a second thewalls thereof; means for fastening said leec'cmd plateto said inner sole; and a spring mounted in said chamber and adapted to hear a ainst both of said plates. l

v6. vTie' combination with a heel formed with a chamberv and having an inner-sole, of a plate mounted free to vibrate above said inner-sole; a second plate which formsthe plate which ormsthe v bottom of said chamber and extends beyond bottom of said chamber and extends laterallya beyond the walls thereof under said inner-sole; a fastening device one end of which is the other end of which is attached to said inner sole; and a yielding device mounted in said chamber and bearing against both said plates.

7. The combination with aheel formed with a chamber, of a plate mounted free to vibrate above the same; a holder mounted in said chamber; a spring `mounted in `said holder; and a second spring mounted in said chamber outside said holder; said springs being made of different sizes of Wire.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Detroit Mich. this 22nd day of April, A. D., 1908, in the presence of the two undersigned witnesses.

JAMES A. FOSTER.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR SPEAR, IP. W. SMITH.

attached to said second plate and' 

